It’s been 12 years since Richie Sambora left Bon Jovi but it's clearly a sore point for Jon Bon Jovi who has said that he’s still “heartbroken” by the guitarist’s decision.
The singer was appearing on the Dumb Blonde podcast when the host Bunnie Xo asked him if he is on better terms with Sambora these days.
Bon Jovi began by saying: "The great thing that I have said about him throughout our lives was you would be lucky to call him your friend, and I mean that - talented beyond, beyond as a guitar player, as a singer, as a collaborator, wonderful, right-hand man, awesome. Couldn't ask for more."
Sambora left the band in April 2013 mid way through the band’s Because We Can tour, citing “personal reasons” for his decision. Clearly, after spending 30 years as Sambora’s creative partner, Bon Jovi was hurt by the guitarist’s sudden exit, and arguably still is.
"My heartbreak with him is the way he walked out on us, compounded by the fact that it took him years to come back in the room just to have a meal with Tico (Torres, drummer) and David (Bryan, keyboardist) and I and say, 'I'm sorry,'" the 63-year-old explained.
"It's unfortunate. It's heartbreaking... but if what he wanted was to be just Richie Sambora, not a member of Bon Jovi, do it right? I always encourage all of my guys, because my attitude was, 'Bring the information back that you learn outside. It'll only help us.'"
Bon Jovi continued: "So for whatever reason, he walked out, and then that was that. But I can't defend or accuse in any (way)... and it's just not worth it anymore. After so many years, I just... if you can't figure (it out) or get it together, then it's not on us, right? I love the man, heartbroken that he walked out on us."
It should be pointed out that Sambora later explained that he left the band because he wanted to focus his energies on raising his daughter, Ava, after his divorce from his ex-wife. And in the 2024 documentary Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story,
Sambora did apologise to his bandmates, saying: “I don’t regret leaving the situation, but I regret how I did it, so I want to apologise fully right now to the fans, especially, and also to the guys because my feet and my spirit were just not letting me walk out the door.”
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